In keyboard applications, for example in conjunction with word processor equipment or home and professional computers which use a display, there is a need to control the position of a cursor on the display in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Since there are four directions (up, down, left and right), there is a requirement to control four separate switches to properly locate the cursor where desired.
Various prior art switch techniques have been utilized to accomplish this four-way switching operation. One such method of controlling the switches uses four separate keys of the same type used for other functions on the keyboard and often involves a separation (such as by the "space bar") between the vertical control switches and the horizontal control switches. Also the vertical up and down controls (as well as the horizontal left and right controls) are often located side by side which means the user must specifically look at the key for the up or down (or left-right) symbol to ensure the correct key is being depressed.
Another method uses a separate set of keys oriented to coincide with the direction each key will move the cursor This is a better system but also involves four separate keys and requires lifting of the finger from key to key. Also, for both of the previous methods the keys will "wobble" if tolerances are not tightly controlled.